The Table Design Continues ..

The work on the table started in earnest in August of 2011. The summer saw many rapid days of progress with George and I working on many pieces. As the project continued it became more and more evident that this will be a work that is around for many years. As a result the design began to mature as an adventure in pushing our woodworking skills.  The functionality of the table requires it has a span that covers 4 people standing side by side. The height needs to allow for an easy reach of the communion and offering plates placed in front of them.  For convenience the side facing away from the congregation should allow for storage.

The front side of the table is to have the words "This Do In Remembrance of Me" from Luke 22.19 

 

The design clearly needed to be solid to support the weight of all the pieces considering the span will be 8 feet. It also needed to allow for disassembling for transport to the church. The table would need to be movable around the church. Of all the projects I have tackled this is the most involved for materials, tools, size, woodworking, and purpose.

The design internals is based on an article "Arts and Crafts Library Table" from May/June 2001 of Fine Woodworking.  That is the method of how the drawer case, aprons, and sides come together is similar to the magazine article.  The fronts and sides of the communion table are to be solid with panels.  See my picture from an earlier post.   Yes there is the idea book again.  I have lost track of how many sketches we have done to prove to our selves the options on the design being considered.

As for the woodworking fine details; I am looking to use as few mechanical fasteners as possible.  That is I am trying to limit the number of screws - which puts a great deal of pressure on using solid woodworking joints.  That choice does allow for biscuits, as was used to align the top and bottom sections of the drawer case.  It also gave a chance to try out a double tenon construction to join the drawer case top and bottom.  This joint has plenty of surface area for glue and makes for a rigid construction.

More to come ... 

Back to the Furniture - Transforming Lumber thought Table Sketches to Finished Work!

After a long hiatus on furniture making, this summer was a chance to get back into the project that has been in my garage the longest, awaiting to be completed.
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The project of a Communion table for the Woodinville Church of Christ had started in thought a few years ago, but stalled for a time with a load of other activities taking my time.

100 BF rough cut Black Walnut

This project has become something special to work on as much of the tools and material used have a history.

The lumber comes from an elder 'George' in our church who has had this Black Walnut lumber drying in his garage for many years.  It was cut down in Washington maybe 30 years ago by his father. 
Roughly 200 board feet of Black Walnut was waiting for inspiration so as to be transformed into a table.  Shown to the left is about 100 BF measured and sorted.  It is ready for dimensioning.

I'll show more of that later, but needless to say this is rough cut 4/4 and 8/4 Black Walnut of a quality that I seldom see in such quantity in my humble shop.

George and I spent many days this summer cutting, sanding and scratching our heads trying to think carefully of what next.
  

Sketch Book of Table End

Personally I find it hard to create unless I can 'see' the end result. That is why I use sketch books (Yes and Google Sketchup) to capture ideas and passion.   I like to use the paperback size books as they are easy to sit with and hold while sketching.

A good mechanical pencil, a cup of coffee, a comfortable chair and the tools are in place to capture ideas as they come.

For this table I wanted to highlight the wood as much as possible.  The style I was looking for needed to be simple, not ornate, but capture some essence of its theological function.

The use of the pointed arches on each of the three side panels is what I decided upon as the theme catching element.  Three panels on each side to capture the essence of the Trinity.

Table End - Ready for final

There is much to post on this project but here is a glimpse of what is taking form.

The sides have been done very close to the sketch.  Design is a constant revisit of form and function.  The tapers where kept as the inverse taper.  But I opted not to have through tenons as it kept the look and work simpler.

This wood is far too nice to cover-up with standard finishes!

There will be no stain and poly urethane process here. It will be an oil finish. "George" likes the Danish oils as it pulls out the wood tone real nicely.


Much more to come....